Flow w/Fred – 6.19.14 (YFD – Tapas)

Flow w/Fred – 6.19.14 (YFD – Tapas)

Union in action is daily life lived in a clear and conscious way. Union in action rests on a sturdy tripod of willful practice (tapas), self-observation (svadhyaya) and surrender (ishvara-pranidhana).

First, we practice. The very act of stepping onto your mat is an act of tapas – willful practice. With disciplined practice, we light an inner fire that burns away our impurities. “Tapas” refers to both the willful practices (also called austerities) and the purifying inner fire that the practices produce. The foundation is set as you build that purifying inner fire that begins recovery.

One of the hardest lessons to learn in life is when to let go – of a relationship, a dream, a fantasy, even a depression. Yet once we learn that we can’t control people, things, and emotions, when we surrender to reality as it is, we are happier.

TAPAS is primarily the process of getting rid of something undesirable in our system – from chronic subliminal muscle contraction, to toxicity in the colon, to deep-rooted emotions and behaviors. With each session on your mat, you are building the strength to break through old patterns and past conditioning. With each session, you are strengthening your vital energy, or prana.